Flat knitting frame



Aug. 1, 1939. H, DIETRICH 2,168,194

FLAT KNITTING FRAME filed Nov. 2, 19157 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Aug. 1, 1939. H. DIETRICH 2 ,168,194

FLAT KNITTING FRAME Filed Nov. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe/14M HERBERT DIE TR/Ch Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLAT 2,168,19 I

Application November 2, 1937, Serial No. 172,438 In Germany November 3, 1936 6 Claims.

side, and for this reason the narrowers of each fabric side are applied twice in each narrowing course and are correspondingly shifted between the two operations. In the toe, narrowing is carried out by hanging first a few outer meshes inwardly to the extent of one needle, whereupon the narrower of each side is shifted and the meshes of the inner narrowing zone are also hung inwardly to the same extent together with the 90 previously transferred meshes of the outer zones.

The meshes of the outer zones are thus transferred twice in each course to attain theoesired' eifect. I

Although this mode of Operation is not objec- 25 tionable per se, it nevertheless involves certain drawbacks with respect to the machine. If the toe is narrowed in the manner described, it is necessary to use for each side of thefabric a narrower having a width equal to the combined 3 width of the usual large and small narrowing fingers. This necessity counteracts the tendencyto keep the spaces between the sinker heads or bars as narrow as possible, as the narrowers when not in use must be pushed sideways out of range 35 of the sinker heads, so that sufficient space for them must be provided. This drawback becomes particularly apparent if used legging machines are to be adapted to producing stockings in one operation. Such machines possess very narrow 4 narrowers, and the space assigned to them out side the sinker heads is therefore not large enough to accommodate narrowers having the width mentioned, unless they are swingably arranged, which in the interest of simplicity of construction is not desirable, however.

The invention overcomes these difliculties by racking the narrowers to the extent of their width after they have operated in the first zone, so that during the second narrowing operation only the meshes of the second zone are hung over.

The narrowers are thus not wider than a narrowing zone, and their lateral arrangement outside the sinker heads does not involve any troubles.

By way of example, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the working method of one narrower on eachside of the fabric when the toe of a French foot is produced; Fig. 2 shows the parts for adjusting and limiting a narrower bar; Fig. 3 shows a device for operating the narrower; Fig. 4 shows means for operating the auxiliary stop; and Fig. 5 shows another possibility of narrowing in a French toe. i

Referring to the drawings, in order to produce the toe of a French foot, as indicated in Fig. 1, the flat'knitting frame is provided orfreach side of the fabric with only one narrower "3 which first hangs over the meshes of the inner zone I and then those of the adjacent zone 2. For this purpose the narrower 3 of each side is approximately half as wide as the usual two narrowers combined and must be racked over its total 'width after it has carried out the hanging over operation in one zone. Furthermore, the narrowers 3 require accurate adjustment after racking, which is effected by the stops 9 operating on a screw spindle and provided with auxiliary stops 1 in known manner. The auxiliary stops adjust the narrowers 3 during covering of the inner-zones, and the stops 9 eflect adjustment for the outer zones. Fig. 2 shows the stopsof the left-hand narrowers 3 of the narrowing mechanism, it being assumed that the narrowers 3 of which only one is shown operate in the inner zone I. The auxiliary stop I is therefore in operating position and movably secured to the nut member 8 of the stop 9. For the narrowing operation in the outer zone the stop-l is swung out, so that the bar l0 carrying the narrowers 3 can be adjusted by the stop 9. The stop I can be controlled by a pattern mechanism.

Racking or the bar In and of the bar running in opposite direction, which is not shown, is prefer-- ably eilected as for instance in clock attachments 40 by a special lifting means which permits swinging in of the auxiliary stop I. As shown in the drawings, this lifting means comprises an eccentrio l2 arranged on the main shaft II and provided with a rotatable disc l3, a roller lever I4 movably disposed at l5, and a rope I! passing over the guide pulley l6 which engages the bar In at ll. When the roll of the lever IA is lifted by the eccentric I2; the bar I0 is displaced to the right and the auxiliary stop I can be brought into operative position, the arrangement being such that the roll of the lever I4 descends from the elevation of the eccentric [2 when the stop! is swung in and the bar Hi can engage the stop I by means of the usual tension medium. In the construction 5 shown the tension medium consists of a weight l9.which by means of the rope 20 and the guide 2| engages the bar at 22. The use of a weight pull is advisable, as the racking of the narrowers 3 is quite large and would result in appreciable variations in power if ordinary tension springswere used. For the bar supporting the narrowers of the other side of the fabric an additional rope is connected with the weight l9 and the roller lever II, the ropes being connected with the second bar by correspondlng'reverslon of the roll. It is possible of course to provide for each bar a separate lifting device H-ll and also a separate traction device I9-2l.

The machine according to the invention can be used for both narrowing and widening in two zones, widening being required in stockings worked in one operation with widened heel portions. In the production of a French toe a blade 23 of known type is employed in the usual manner. 4 v

The device for operating the auxiliary stops I is known perse and comprises a downwardly extending arm 24 which is actuated by the spring '25. Thisspring 25 tends to move the auxiliary stop I in the direction of the arrow into an inoperative position. The auxiliary stop I is brought into its operative position by means of a pattern mechanism, which consists of the wheel 21 and the pattern chain 26 with the cam 28, and which operates the arm 24. The arrangement is such that the auxiliary stop 1 is brought into the operative position when a'caml 28 of the pattern chain 26 is moved under the arm 26.

A fiat knitting frame according to the invention can further be used for narrowing in two zones if the two zones on a side of a fabric differ in width. The structure shown in Fig. 3 indicates the production of a French toe.. The inner zones I are the narrower ones, and the width of the narrowers 3 corresponds to the width thereof. Narrowing is first carried out in the inner zones I, and the picked up meshes are hung over one needle inwardly in the usual manner, as shown. The narrowers 3 are then racked outwardly to the extent of their width, so that they are positioned at .a: in the outer zones 2 the meshes of-which are hung inwardly over two needles.

After this operation, the narrowers 3 are racked again outwardly to the extent of their width so as to occupy the position 1 at which they hang the remaining portion of the meshes of the zones 2 inwardly. The meshes of the zones 2 are thus hung inwardly in two operations whilst the formation of an additional narrowing line is avoided. In the construction shown the narrowers 3 are approximately one-third as wide as the usual two largeand small narrowing fingers on one side together. Thetoe produced is practically equal 'to a French toe of the usual kind.

I claim:

1. A flat knitting frame, comprising means for narrowing and widening. in a plurality of zones with the aid of one narrower on each side of the goods, said narrowers operating a plurality of times in each course and having the width of the inner-zones of their sidesof 'the goods, said narrowers hanging over first the meshes of the inner zones and then being racked outwardly for subsequent operation in the same row.

2. A fiat knitting frame according to claim 1; wherein for narrowing French toes the narrower on each side of the goods is only approximately half as wide as the usual two narrowing fingers on each side taken together and narrowing is carried out first in the inner zone.

3. A fiat knitting frame according to claim 1,

- wherein for narrowing French toes the narrower on each side of'the goods is only approximately half as wide as the usual two narrowing fingers on each side taken together and narrowing is carried out first in theinner zone, and whereinv stops operating on a. screw spindle adjust the racking path of the narrowers from one zone to the other and auxiliary stops adjust the narrowers during narrowing of the inner zones.

4. A fiat knitting frame according to claim 1,

wherein for'narrowlng French toes the narrower on each side of the goods is only approximately half as wide as the usual two narrowing fingers on each side taken together and narrowing is carried out first in the inner zone, and wherein stops operating on a screw spindle adjust the racking path of thenarrow'ers from one zone to the other and auxiliary stops adjust the narrowers during narrowing of the inner zones, said auxiliary stops being movably secured to the first stops and controlled by a pattern mechanism.

5. A fiat knitting frame according to claim 1, wherein for narrowing French toes the narrower on each side of the goods is only approximately half as wide as the usual two narrowing fingers on each side taken together and narrowing is carried out first in the inner zone, and wherein stops operating on a screw spindle adjust the' racking of the narrowers from one. zone to the other and auxiliary stops adjust the "narrowers during narrowing of the inner zone, and wherein bars for carrying the narrowers and lilting means for'driving the bars inwardly are provided to place the auxiliary stops in operating position.

6. A fiat knitting frame according to claim 1, wherein for narrowing French toes the narrower on each side of the goods is only approximately halias' wide as the usual two narrowing fingerson each side taken together and narrowing is carriedout first in the inner zone, and wherein stops operating on a screw spindle adjust the racking of the narrowers from-one zone to the other and auxiliary stops adjust the narrowers during narrowing of the innerzone, and wherein bars for carrying the narrowers andlifting means for driving the bars inwardly to place the auxiliary stops in operating position are provided, said lifting means comprising weights for drawingthe bars toward the stops.

HERBERT nmrarcn. 

